Brownfields are "real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant." This definition is from The Brownfields Revitalization and Economic Restoration Act of 2001. A brownfield site is property that was once used for commercial or industrial purposes and is now targeted for redevelopment. Brownfields sites can be abandoned factories, gas stations, oil storage facilities, and other businesses that used polluting substances. Such sites must be cleaned up and determined to be safe from any contamination before they can be re-used. State and federal brownfields programs assist developers in safely using former industrial sites for new uses such as housing, retail stores and parks.

This description is based on the information found in the Web links listed with this topic.

Web Links from MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)
Hazardous Waste

More Links
Brownfields (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
Brownfields and Land Revitalization home page (Environmental Protection Agency)
Brownfields Frequently Asked Questions (Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
Brownfields: Turning Bad Spaces into Good Ones (University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension) (PDF — 8.28 MB)
Public Health and Brownfields (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)
Radioactive Contamination at Clean-Up Sites (Environmental Protection Agency)

Chemicals in Brownfields
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Acetone
Ammonia
Arsenic
Asbestos
Benzene
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Cadmium
Chlorine
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Chromium
Crude Oil
Diesel
Dioxins
Endocrine Disruptors
Ethylene Glycol
Ethylene Oxide
Formaldehyde
Gasoline
Lead
Mercury
Methane
Methanol
Perchlorate
Perchloroethylene (PCE, PERC)
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Pesticides
Phthalates
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Propane
Solvents
Styrene
Toluene
Uranium
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Last Updated: November 13, 2012